Improvement in let-off mechanism for looms



waited gisten tlirnt @Wina LEWIS N. FLETCHER? ANI)A IRA M. PAGE, 0FLOWELLVMASSAGHUSETTS.

Leners Patent No. 104,949, aan .my .5, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN LET-OPF lIVIIlCHIAIi'llfoM'IOIIR LQOMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari: of thesame To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LnWIs'N. FLETCHERand- IRA M. PAGE, both of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Stateof Massaclmsetts, have invented certain new and Auseful ImprovementsAiu, Looms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making partof this specification, in which- Figure 1, sheet 1, represents the frontside of anordinary loom, having our improvements applied thereto.

Flligure 1, a plan of detached parts connected therewit Figures 2 and 3,sheet 2, opposite transverse sections of g. 1, the former on the lineAB, and the latter on the line C D thereof.

y Figure 4 represents a rear-side view of that portion .ofthe loom whereour improvements are applied, the

same being shown in this figure.

` Figure 5 represents a horizontal section on the line E F of figs. 2 or4, as the sameappears after the stand I, gears N and P, and the inclineshaft g and the yarn-beam A' have beenl removed purposely, to show theoperative devices which are arranged -beneath the parts named above. 7

This invention relates-to that part of a loom which is called thelet-oil", being a certain combination or combinations of devicesarranged and connected with the yarn-beam and with some' other operatingvmechanism for regulating the uniform delivery of warp vfrom the beam. i

, This invention has for its object to provide a positive let-off forlooms, or a let-ofi' that will be so near positive in its operation andeli'ect that it would seem to be diicult to make it more positive, andat' the same time readily adjustable, to increase or diminish thetension ou the warp to any desired degree, and also to provide'fordetachng the let-off mechanism from the operating mechanism, when thedriving-belt is changed or shipped from the fast or tight drivingpulleytothe loose one, thereby preventing the escape of warp from the beam,when the filling has run out of the shuttle, and the belt is shifted tostop the loom and rene-w the filling.

In carrying' out our invention, the yarn-beam A', the cam-shaft IV, andthe crank-shaft Z, the connecting-girts S and 'I, breast-beam V, andback-roll or bar X, may remain the same as on'almost any loom,

but on the carnshaft and near one en d of it, we sei cure afriction-disk, A, and at one end of this a hinged stand, B, the collar aof which loosely encircles the shaft.

The foot b of the hinged stand is fastened to the girt S, and the shankand collar are movable from or toward the disk A, by swinging'on apivot, 4, seen in Iig. 5. Y

Tothe opposite side of the collar a one end of a crossshaft, d, isloosely connected.

The other end ot ythis shaft has a bearing or step .in the stand C,which is fastened on the back girtl.

Near the first-named end ofthe cross-shaft d, and on the same, wearrange a friction-Wheel, j, which bears or is pressed against the faceof the disk A, and this wheel is adjustable for greater or less pressureby an adjusting screw-bar, D, the endsof which are set in centers orsockets in the side ot the box F of the cam-shaft, and in thesidc of thehinged stand On the central portion of the shaft d is a worm, E, whichengages with a gear G, on a longitudinal. shaft supported in the box orbarrel H projecting from one side of a stand,-I, which also forms asupport for one end of `a gear-shaft, J, above the shaft rl, seen intig. 5.

The opposite end of the shaft J is supported by an arm, h, projectinginward from the vertical rack-guide K, rising from the back stand 0. A

' A curved arm, L, extending downward andA outward from one end of thebarrel H, forms a step for an inclined transverse shaft g, the upperportion of y which is held by a bearing-bracket, M, seen in tig. 4.

On the last-named shaft we arrange a bevel-gear, N, which slides on aspline, c, and rotates with the shaft.

The upp'er end of this bevel-gear has a necked hub and a serrated-ortoothed collar, e, the former for moving the gear on the shaft, and thelatter for stopping the motion of the gear and shaft when thrown out ofgear'or from contact with the bevel-gear P, which is fastened to'oneeudof the shaft in the barrel- H, a toothed'stand, g1, being fastened tothe end of the loom, in the right position to engage with the serratedupper edge of the collar e.

On the upper portion of the incline shaft is a worm,

R, which. meshes into the gear U on the end of the l yarn-beam A', and awheel, B, furnishes means for turning the sha-ft g and the yarn-beambackward when desired.A p

On the shaft J we arrange two gears, Cl and G2. The former meshes into ahorizontal rack, D, which is movable in the upper grooved side oftherearstand C, and the latter meshes into a vertical rack, K', which ismovable in the grooved guide K.

On the top of the vertical rack-bar is a pressure or friction-pad, El,whichpre'sses against the body of yarn on the beam A', when actuated bythe connecting mechanisms.

On one end of the rack-bar Dl we apply a'guide,

vn, which forks onto each end of the `friction-wheel f,

the bevel-gear N, the shaft g, and the worm R, which operates the gear Uand thc yarn-beam to -unwnd the warp, and, in order to hasten or toretard the nnwinding action of the warp from the beam, a larger or asmaller gear is substituted for the gear G, or` a larger or smallerfriction-wheel, j', may be applied to'l the shaft d, and thus operatethe shaft d and the connected parts slower or faster; or for any slightchange in the unwinding action of the warp the screw-bar D may beslackened, so as to relieve thcfriction between the wheel f and the faceof the disk A; butthis is not advisable, and should only he resorted totemporarily.

The ,best inode of operating the device is to keep the wheel fpressingfhard against the face of the disk A, and this, in connectionwith the other operating and actuating devices, makes our invention apositive let-ofi', or so near positive that it would seem to bedifficult tol make it more positive.

When the friction-wheel f is pressing against the face of the revolvingdisk A, and is operating as described, the tendency of saidfriction-wheel is outward, or toward the periphery of' the disk. Takingadvan- Itage of this outward tendency or crowding action of thefriction-wheel, the guide n is purposely forkedonto the wheel, andconnected with the rack-bar D'.

By this means the crowding action of the frictionwheel is transferred tothe lack-bar, thence to the gear C', and through the shaft J to the gearC2, and through this to the vertical rack and bar K' and. the pad El,and this keeps a constant frictional pressure ot' the pad `against thebody of the warp or yarn on the beam, whether the bevelgears N and P arelneshed in together or thrown ont by sliding the former upward on theshaft y.

This last-named operation is only necessary when lthe belt is shiftedfrom the fast or tight driving-pnlleys I' onto the loose one, m, whenthe loom is to be stopped to renew the lling in the shuttle.

At such times the lay or lathe will generally beat np, or perform fromone to three or more backward and forward motions before its momentum isfully overcome.

This, in the use of theordinary let-oli', which allows the warp tounwind from the beam while the lay has motion, makesa thin place in thefabric, by drawing the web and the warp forward by the action ofthe takeup, and when the lling has all run out of the sh ttle, by leavingpartially blank space of one, two, or'more picks, whichwould have beenfull had the filling not run out of the shuttle.

Against the above-named diiiculties we have amply provided, `not only bythe forked guide and the combination of horizontal and vertical racks,gears, and friction-pad, for retaining frictional pressure .on the warpand beam, but means for shipping, disengaging, or throwing the let-0Hmechanism out of action when the driving-belt is shifted. Y l

The means above referred to are as follows:

A longitudinal rod, E?, is supported beneath the breast-beam by adepending hanger, E, and `by passing through the end-frame portion.

This rod extends Ato near the opposite end of the loom, andthercconnects with one arm of a bell-crank,

E, which is pivoted to a stand, E", secured to the in ner edge of .thebeam V.

The other arm of the bell-crank passes through the top end of a lever,El, which swings on a screw, 2, passing through it into the end of theframe.

To the lower end ot' the last-named lever one end of a rod, E, isconnected, and its other end connects with a clutch-lever, E?, whichy ispivotedjto the loom' end, and its lower end engages with the groovei),between the bevel-gear N and the serrated collar c, (sceV ig..2.)

lhe shipper-handle D is connected with one cud, 8, of the rod E, asclearly shown in fig. 1, and when the shipper is moved to run thedriving-belt from the ,tight pulley onto the loose one, the rod t ismoved l endwise, operating the bell-crank, the lever El, the rod E", andthe clutch-lever E, which disengages the bevel-gear N from its mate P,and the unwinding motion ofthe yarn-beam ceases, and no backward orforward motion of the lay will canse the yarn-beam. to yturn or the warpto unwind therefrom, until the shipper is moved in the oppositedirection, which slides the gear N downward on the incline shaft g, andbrings the latter gear Vinto acting contact with the gear4 P, at thesame instant the belt is shifted from the loose pulley onto the tightone, and the lay set in motion.

Then the gear N is tln'own upwardon the shaft g, the serrated rim of thecollar c comes in contact with the stop g', and the rotary motion of thegear N is instantly suspended, and the yarn-beam is at rest, as beforedescribed.

It will be obvious that a roll may be substituted for the pressure-padon the top end of the vertical rackbar K', and serve the same purpose ofthe pad, which we prefer.

Having described our invention,

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combinatiom substantially as described,l of the friction-disk Aand friction-'wheel f, the shaft d, worm E, gear G, bevel-gears N andl?, shaft g, and

worm It, with the gear U of the yarn-beam, altar-N.

ranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. Thehinged stand B, in combination with the shaft d and friction-wheelf and with the disk A, as described. l

3. The adjustable screw-bar D, in combination with the hinged stand B,in the manner and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, snbstantiallyas described, of the disk-A, wheel f,forked gnide'n, rack D, gears C and Crack K', and friction-pad El, orits equivalent, with the yarn-beam, all arranged and operatingfin themanner and for the purpose specified.

5. The forked guide n, in combination with the rack Dl andfriction-wheel f, and with the gear G1, shaft J, gear .02, vertical'rack K', andpad El, all arranged and operating substantially in themanner and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as described, of the stand I, barrelbearing H, and curved arm L, which 4serve as supports for the gears Pand G and their shaft, for one end of the shaftJ, and fora step for theinclined shaft g, as set forth.

7. The combination, substantially as described, of the rear stand'O,havinga shaft-supporting arm, h, land guides for the rack-bars Dl .andK', and a step for the shaft d, as set forth. `1 Y 8. The combinationwithv the shipper D4 of therod E, the bell-crankv E5, the lever E",therod E, and the lever l, with the necked gea'rN, and the stop g', allcombined, arranged, and operating substantially in themanner described,to release the let-off and allow the unwinding action of the yarn-beamto cease, and to return such partsto action oroperation. Y

9. The combination of the shipper D", the rodEl',

bell-crankvE, lever E1, rod E", lever El, shaft g, splincd and slidinggear N, toothed rim e, stop g', worm R,

gear U, the friction-pad El and rack K', and its conneetions, allarranged and operating substantially as described, for the purpose ofregulating or controlling and stopping' and restoring the unwindingaction of vthe yarn-beam.

10. The shipper D* and rod E, combined with the bell-crank lever E5, thelever L7, the connecting-rod E, and. the clutch-lever E, arranged andoperating as set forth.

11. In connection with the disk A and wheel f, as- I described, thecombination of two branches or sets of AWitnesses:

J. S. WHITREY, JOHN E. CRANE.

